I think competitive mixed would be improved a ton if they got rid of 8.0, 9.0 and switched to 7.5 and 8.5 with the requirement that the female player could cannot have a lower rating than the male player. Right now if you face a 4.5M /3.5F combo there is only one viable strategy for the most part, keep it away from the 4.5!

Ya know, goober, that's a really good suggestion. Probably the best way to get four players of both genders with compatible skills sets.

That...I'd play. I refuse to play mixed combo as it now stands. Those 4.5M/3.5F combos are killers to the average mixed pair.

Ya know, goober, that's a really good suggestion. Probably the best way to get four players of both genders with compatible skills sets.

That...I'd play. I refuse to play mixed combo as it now stands. Those 4.5M/3.5F combos are killers to the average mixed pair.

Yep, totally agree.

I have certainly had fun, competitive matches where the women were 4.0 and the men were 3.5 (7.5 mixed combo). Mostly, I think mixed works best where everyone is on level. So only 4.0s and below can play 8.0 mixed, and so forth.

Yeah, but you're the Ever So Awesome 4.5, which is like four USTA levels higher than a 3.0 woman. Of course you have to play every ball!

Bahaha I guess it's a bit of a jump in skill level! The thing was is that she wouldn't say anything! No "cover me" or "yours" or anything! I was at the baseline playing road runner hitting back high loopers away from the net person. She pretty well just stood there.

And oh my dyna, her service games were rough. The people we were playing against freaking tee'd off on her pancake serves.

I played mixed for the first time ever last summer and I enjoyed it. I know some guys don't like it, but I discovered some of the 3.0 and 3.5 women were about equal or even better than some of the 3.0 guys on my previous men's 3.5. And as I found out, some of the women are more competitive and if the guy is not holding up his end, the women can get kinda bent out of shape.

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I think competitive mixed would be improved a ton if they got rid of 8.0, 9.0 and switched to 7.5 and 8.5 with the requirement that the female player could cannot have a lower rating than the male player. Right now if you face a 4.5M /3.5F combo there is only one viable strategy for the most part, keep it away from the 4.5!

Agreed! I've posted something similar before I called "Queens Doubles". The main requirement is for the woman to be the higher rated player between the mixed pair. All else being equal, the man can no longer target the woman exclusively. This makes for a more even and competitive match.

Agreed! I've posted something similar before I called "Queens Doubles". The main requirement is for the woman to be the higher rated player between the mixed pair. All else being equal, the man can no longer target the woman exclusively. This makes for a more even and competitive match.

I think it would be a good idea too but the 3.0 women would likely pitch a fit since they couldn't play mixed in such a system.

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When should you serve and volley in doubles? Only when you want to win.

I have played mixed 7.0 during the summer and now in a USTA league. I think it is a lot of fun, although we tend to get a lot of 4.0 male 3.0 female opponents. That can be a little tough at times. We have lots of pretty even matches, but maybe that is common in 7.

why would they pitch a fit? They could play 5.5 or 6.5 in that setup... or did you just not realize it goes that low? lol.

There aren't many 2.5 guys anymore, and I'm not sure how the 3.0 women would play 6.5 if the 3.0 had the be the higher rated player? They could play with a 3.0 guy I guess, assuming equal ratings would be acceptable in this hypothetical league, but they'd be in line to lose a bunch to true 6.5 teams unless one or both of them were sandbagging.

FWIW, I do like the idea in general though. As a 3.5 guy I think a mixed league with 3.5 guys and 4.0 women would be fun and competitive. I am in a mixed gender doubles ladder, and basically it ends up most weeks that I share a court with other 3.5 guys or 4.0 women, and it's one of my favorite tennis 'leagues' I've been a part of with consistently interesting, competitive play.

Sorry, I was thinking for the 3.5 women would play 6.5 and the 3.0 women were playing 5.5. That was indeed my bad. Yes, that would be tough for 3.0 women to play in a mixed team if they had to be the higher rated.

In Norcal, so always lots of 2.5's around... didn't really think about other parts of the country where that isn't the case.

Sorry, I was thinking for the 3.5 women would play 6.5 and the 3.0 women were playing 5.5. That was indeed my bad. Yes, that would be tough for 3.0 women to play in a mixed team if they had to be the higher rated.

In Norcal, so always lots of 2.5's around... didn't really think about other parts of the country where that isn't the case.

No worries, we've just not had any 2.5 leagues here and in fact the 3.0 men's leagues had such low numbers in 2012 that our area didn't have enough players to have that level last fall at all.

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When should you serve and volley in doubles? Only when you want to win.

Social mix is fun and I play it all the time. Competitive mix is another bird which I prefer not to visit any time soon again.

I love competitive mixed doubles. Sure, it makes a difference whether you are reasonably close to your opponents' level of play, but I have found that there are always ways to work at neutralizing an opponent's strengths, and in doubles it is more about how you play as a team than it is about your individual skills. No, you can't always win, but you can certainly use your heads and strategize a way to make the match more competitive, even if you are outmatched. That's one of the things I enjoy most about it.

Back in the day here in the Intermountain section the mixed leagues were labeled 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, etc... and they worked exactly like the men's and women's leagues in that you were rated at the level or below for the league in which you played. Those leagues were great.

I agree that the 4.5M/3.5W and 4.0M/3.0W has taken some of the joy out of competitive mixed play.

My wife and I took up the sport precisely because it allowed us to play together, and we still love playing mixed together today. I think like any doubles, the key is finding a partner you enjoy playing with and whose playing style suits yours.

I have noticed one oddity in mixed though that I don't see in men's doubles, and that is that sometimes it seems the woman targets the opposing male player rather than playing to the weaker female player. My wife does this occasionally and I've noticed it from women across the net too. I think in my wife's case it has something to do with testing her skill against the male opponent, and when she beats him it's a bit of a thrill. I'm sure that's also likely the case for some other women, though I also think some female opponents just become so focused on me that they tend to hit to me rather than away from me.

This rarely happens in men's doubles. If one guy is stronger, he'll be avoided as much as possible.

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